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Turn March Madness into Giving Madness

Posted on 03/25/2013

He dribbles, he shoots—and somebody else scores! That’s not exactly how you’d like March Madness to go, but this year’s big games can be different. Everybody is glued to the television to see who makes it to that final basketball game. And many people have placed their bets.

But why not turn the tournament into a giving experience? With so much attention on the big game, there’s plenty of opportunity to connect with people you’ve never reached before. Here’s how you can score for other people during March Madness.

Place Your Bet (For Good)
Everybody and their dog made a bracket this year. From President Barack Obama to Kid President, the entire country is watching to see which way the points will fall. And although everybody has filled out a bracket to see who will make it to the big dance, nobody’s dancing yet. That means you’ve got time to turn the tournament into a giving act.

There may not be 64 teams left in the tourney, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start a later bracket. The Sweet 16 starts in a few days, and you’ll have plenty of time to find out who’s in and who was sent packing. Then, round up your friends to make their picks... again. But instead of using a buy-in and giving the winner the cash, give the money to a local charity. Or, have local companies pledge a certain dollar amount to nonprofit organizations for the number of points scored.

Teach a Youth
March is a time when tons of young kids will pick up a basketball because of the atmosphere surrounding the month. It’s all around them, and they notice. That means that March is a great time to be a mentor in a youth’s life.

They don’t care if you were the star of the high school team or the water boy/girl. All that matters to them is that they have somebody to play the sport with and look up to. So lace up the sneakers and grab a ball. As long as you’re spending time with a youth, they won’t notice your amazing (or lack of) basketball skills. Search online for an organization that can match you with the right youth.

Strut Your Stuff
Whether you’re good or not at basketball, you can still put whatever skills you possess to use. If you can’t hit the broadside of a barn, then put your planning skills to work. Organize a fundraising tournament for an organization of your choice.

The fundraising opportunities are endless. From the registration fee to concessions and special partners and sponsorships, there are plenty of ways to get involved. And you don’t have to do it alone. Get together a group of your friends to help you organize, play in the tournament or referee.

No matter how you choose to play, let the March Madness continue—for good.

The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources, a program of Children's Aid and Family Services, is a recognized leader in community and school-based education programs about alcohol and drug abuse prevention. Founded in 1979, The Center provides extensive resources, information, expertise and support in understanding and preventing alcohol and drug abuse and advocates for responsive prevention and treatment services. The Center offers evidence-based programs to communities and schools, as well as a full-service resource and referral center. The Center has programs, services and workshops for people of all ages to strengthen families and promote healthy lifestyles. The Center is the official Prevention Resource Center for Bergen County and towns East of the Passaic River in Passaic County.

Heroin: The Silent Epidemic

It has been all over the local news. There has been a dramatic increase in teenagers and young adults using heroin, especially in Bergen County. Below are a series of resources and articles for parents.

Watch the Bergen County Prevention Coalition PSA entitled The voices of Addiction of Bergen County. The video tells the stories of three people who live in Bergen County, New Jersey; a mom whose 21 year-old daughter passed away after overdosing on heroin, a young man incarcerated in the Bergen County jail who was a high school track star and began using painkillers when he broke his arm in several places, and a young woman who began using heroin when she was 17 and is now in a recovery program. Their stories began similarly - drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana were fun things to do and not a big deal or anything that was of great concern. The link between early use and the use of pills and heroin are what followed with each story’s outcome different from the other; with death, incarceration, and recovery.

We want you to know that they are not alone in managing issues related to addiction, there are resources available for help and support. Reach out to The Center for Drug and Alcohol Resources at 201-740-7069 or thecenter@cafsnj.org for more information or to access resources.

Turn in your expired or unused prescriptions for safe disposal.There are many sites throughout Bergen County where you can safely dispose of your expired or used prescriptions. See the link below.

The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources was awarded a contract from the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, to develop the Opioid Overdose Recovery Program in Bergen County. The purpose of the Program is to provide one-on-one assistance in emergency rooms by an individual in long-term recovery to those who have overdosed on opioids and were given Narcan by a law enforcement official, EMT or hospital staff, to end the ‘revolving door’ of cycling in and out of drug overdose situations. OORP can be dispatched 24 hours a day 7 days per week when Narcan is administered.

TCADR Self-Administered Screening Tool

The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources (TCADR) has launched a web-based interactive screening tool designed to provide users with appropriate referrals to addiction treatment services. TCADR Self-Administered Screening Tool guides the user through a short series of questions and, based on the responses, generates two referrals to treatment providers local to Bergen County, New Jersey and its immediate vicinity. While not intended to diagnose a substance abuse problem, the tool utilizes the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Patient Placement Criteria to provide referrals to programs that are appropriate to the user's needs. The ASAM Criteria is the most widely used and comprehensive criteria used for the placement of individuals with alcohol and drug problems. The tool is not designed to take the place of an assessment by an addictions professional, but it will take the guesswork out of where to turn for help.